


Home

by QueenCarol



Series: Twists In Time [7]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV), carzekiel - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Baby Fic, Civil War, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenCarol/pseuds/QueenCarol
Summary: When he'd signed up to fight with the Union, he'd done so because he knew how lucky he had been to escape slavery. Now, battered and hurting, he comes home to her, to his wife, to his Carol.
Relationships: Carol Peletier/Ed Peletier, Ezekiel/Carol Peletier, brief mention of - Relationship
Series: Twists In Time [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750618
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer:
> 
> Carol Peletier, Sophia Peletier, King Ezekiel, Henry, Jerry, Shiva, and any other recognizable character or plot of The Walking Dead belong to AMC Network and Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics and Robert Kirkman.
> 
> In no way is the author claiming ownage of any of the characters nor is there any economic/monetary gain at any time. The author is extremely respectful of the original creators and is willing to take down this work of fiction if requested.
> 
> No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Original characters are the property of the author.

He has to get home. It's the only thing he can think about, the one thing that keeps him upright despite the pain of his healing injuries. He needs to get home. He needs to get back to her.

Fighting for the Union had been nothing short of grueling. Sleepless nights camping out in the open, eating lukewarm food made out of whatever they could find, seeing his friends hurt in battle as the explosions and smoke took over the field, and fearing for his life every single day had been the norm for almost ten months. He'd still be back in the middle of it all had it not been for the bullets that had lodged themselves in his shoulder and chest, almost robbing him of his life.

Even with the pain, Ezekiel has to admit he'd do it all again in a heartbeat to keep his freedom. He'd go through it all to make sure no one else is ever a slave because as hard as fighting for the Union had been, none of it compared to what he'd lived through when he'd been one.

Ezekiel had been extremely lucky and had been able to escape slavery as a young man. Many others hadn't been as lucky and had perished without tasting freedom. Knowing the number of lives lost under forced captivity and hard labor, he'd promised to always fight to help in any way he could.

That's why, when he had signed up to join the battle, Carol hadn't been surprised.

He'd met Carol Peletier when he'd gone to work for her father. Though not a slave, she had been treated like one by her husband whom she had escaped and hid from in her father's home. Ezekiel had been there the night she had arrived, barely able to walk and beat within an inch of her life. He'd been working with the animals when the horses had become unsettled, signaling that someone was near. Thinking it was a thief, he'd armed himself with a machete, ready to defend the animals from being stolen.

It hadn't been a thief though. Instead, he'd been the one to catch the frail woman as her legs gave out from under her. He'd quickly picked her up, her beaten body slack in his strong arms, her head tilted back as he rushed to the main house in search of help. One look at the woman in his arms and he'd been ushered in amidst cries of anguish for a daughter his employers thought they'd lost.

Slowly, and with lots of care from both a loving father and mother, Carol had healed. Throughout the process they'd gotten to know each other, bonding over their love for animals. He'd found a way to parade the horses and cows near her window so she could see them, he'd carry the piglets and chicks to her so she could shower them with love and he'd even gifted her with an orange tabby cat they'd affectionally called Shiva. Every waking minute he didn't spend tending to the animals, he spent by her side. They would talk well into the night if they were allowed, her smile and bright eyes always tugging at his heart.

When Ed had eventually made his way to the farmhouse, Ezekiel had stood beside her father, both with shotguns in hand, ready to defend the woman he was quickly falling in love with. Ed, drunk as he'd ever been, had threatened her and lunged at her father with a knife. The sound of the man's shotgun and the thud of Ed's body hitting the ground is something he still remembered to this day.

He'd never been as nervous as the day he'd prepared to ask Carol's father for the chance to court her. Her father was a kind man, one of the few who didn't treat him as inferior and actually paid him a living wage. Still, there was a difference between having someone work for you and having him court your only daughter. He'd been so sure the man would say no, that the love he felt for her would go unexplored, that he'd almost been sick. Instead, the man had laughed and had patted him on the back, saying that he thought he'd never ask. After that day, Ezekiel had been welcomed into the family right away.

Their courting had been fast, not because her father wanted to get rid of her, but because Ezekiel and Carol were so deeply in love. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, that no other woman would ever come close to being as beautiful as she was. He also knew Carol loved him and that she wasn't shy in showing everyone around them how much. Before he knew it, they'd been married in a small ceremony at her father's farm. She'd been the most beautiful bride he'd ever seen. Had he not been head over heels in love with her before that, the day of their wedding would have sealed the deal.

They lived with her parents for the first year of their marriage. He'd used every single dollar he had to buy material to build them their own home. He'd spent all morning tending to the animals and all afternoon working on their own little farmhouse in the patch of land her father had gifted them as a wedding present. By the time their second wedding anniversary rolled around, Ezekiel had been able to present to her their modest but beautiful farmhouse, a house she had then nurtured into a home.

Leaving her side before their third anniversary had been one of the hardest things he had to do. Carol had understood though and had promised to wait for him forever. Now he is going home and his tired legs can't walk fast enough. He is fatigued and his body is shaking like a leaf but he is adamant in finishing the walk up to their little homestead. He keeps repeating to himself that no matter what, when night falls, he will be in her arms once again and nothing will ever take him away from her.

He has to stop to catch his breath more than once. The pain on his side has increased tenfold. His injury might have happened a month ago but it's still healing, some of the shrapnel still in his muscles since the field doctors had been unable to bring them out. It wasn't going to stop him from enjoying the rest of his life though and it certainly wasn't going to prevent him from building a family with the love of his life.

He's not far from their door, ready to pick up his walking after having adjusted the white cloth that holds his arm to his chest in an attempt to give him more time to heal when the door opens. His breath is immediately stolen away as he watches Carol come out. She carries a basket which she presses to the side of her hip as she makes her way to the line of linens that had been hung to dry. Her graying hair is pulled back in a French braid to keep it off her face as she works in pulling down and folding the bedsheets before moving to the next article. A soft hum is carried in the wind which he quickly recognizes as the song he has hummed to her multiple times thought their courtship and marriage.

His wife is finally in front of him, his beautiful Carol. He's finally home. It isn't a cruel dream he will wake up from to find himself back on the battlefield.

He slowly closes the distance to her. Ezekiel doesn't want to scare her but he wants to be as close as possible to her so that he can see the emotions in her eyes when she finally realizes he is home. His plans are foiled though when she suddenly freezes, hands midway raised to take what appears as a too-small blanket. She's breathing hard, her rib cage closing and expanding in a way that makes him fear she will hyperventilate if she isn't careful.

Carol slowly turns towards him. Her blue eyes are full of tears and hope that makes them sparkle in the mid-day light. She lets out a rush of breath, a sob sneaking in as she lowers her hands and presses them to her chest and belly. Her chin quivers as she takes a step closer.

"Ezekiel?" Her voice comes out in a rushed whisper as if she's afraid that speaking too loud will make him disappear.

"My love." He replies.

Another sob leaves her lips. This time it's quickly followed by her rushing towards him. He has very little time to prepare for her arrival, throwing his cane to the side and opening his arm for her. She slams into him, making him take a couple of steps back and pray that his body doesn't fail them and crumbles under the exhaustion and her weight. His arm quickly goes around her as hers slip around his waist and pulls him closer.

"You're home." She whimpers against his chest. "You are really here."

"I'm here, beloved." He promises.

Ezekiel is able to press a couple of kisses against the crown of her head before Carol pulls back. Her face is wet with the force of her tears, the tip of her nose bright red, her blue eyes appearing even bluer. "Don't cry."

"I thought... I thought...". She whimpers as he cups her cheek and uses his thumb to brush away her tears as best as he can. Her gaze traces his exhausted face before she closes her eyes and tilts her head down. "We received word that there had been a battle and that... that the chances-"

"I'm here." He repeats to let her know that whatever she heard and thought had been wrong. "And I'm not leaving your side ever again."

She licks her lips and smiles wide, her head tilting back in the way that always tells him she wants a kiss. The fine lines of her eyes that he so loves become a little bit easier to see as her eyes squint with the power of her smile. She's as beautiful as the day he had left her side if not more. Unable to deny her the kiss she desires, and unable to deny himself the kiss he's been dreaming of for months, Ezekiel leans down and presses his lips against hers.

She's real. He's not dreaming. She really is there, in his arms, kissing him.

He loses himself in the softness of her lips, in the tender caress of her tongue against his, and the way her soft body presses to his. He pulls her closer against him, suppressing the wince against the pain that shoots through his side and focusing on the way her body molds to his. She's so perfect and fits against his battered body as if she's been made for him. Her arms raise to wrap around his neck, a soft moan caressing his lips as she too appears to lose herself in him.

When she pulls back it is only to kiss him again, tilting her head to the other side, and letting out another soft moan. This time he isn't able to suppress the signs of pain and Carol notices. Her gaze falls from his face and follows the wrappings around his arm.

"What happened?" She asks worriedly.

"Enemy fire." He replies. He knows they will have the time to talk about all the horrible aspects of war later. Now he just wants to hold his bride near and thank the all mighty for having given him the chance to come back to her.

"Does it hurt still?" She reverently touches his injured shoulder, afraid to cause him more pain.

"Not right now." She knows he's lying but accepts his answer, cuddling against his good shoulder and sighing contently. "Not when I'm by your side."

"Ezekiel-"

Whatever she's about to say next is forgotten at the sound of a cry that comes from the open door of their home. Confused, Ezekiel turns to look towards their house as Carol takes a small step away from him. The sound is loud but high. It's similar to that of a mewling kitten as it searches for its mother. For a brief moment, he wonders if Shiva has given birth to kittens and their combined mewling for their mother is what he hears.

"Carol?" He asks confused.

Carol's lips curl into another smile, a different smile he's never seen before. Her hand wraps around his, their fingers interlacing. If he wasn't so confused he would raise their clasped hands to press a kiss to her fingers as he'd done so many times before. She takes a step towards their little home which he follows as best as he can without the aid of his cane.

Their home is just like he remembers, except it's different. All of the furniture is there, all of their belongings are in place, but there are also other little things that accompany the sound of the cry and which seem to complement everything around them. He follows her, befuddled at what it all means, not daring to allow himself to hope.

"What-?"

"I didn't know when you left," Carol explains in a tone that sounds almost afraid. He doesn't like it but he knows it comes from the years of abuse her ex-husband had inflicted on her. If Ed Peletier hadn't been dead, Ezekiel would have searched for him there and then to give him as much pain as Carol had received.

"Didn't know?"

She shakes her head as she guides him down the hallway that leads to their bedroom. "When my moons didn't come, I initially blamed it on the fear of losing you. I was so worried that I'd never see you again. I had night terrors and terrible thoughts that would leave me shaken. Then... I passed out when tending to the cows and mother insisted a doctor be brought in. He gave me the most wonderful news."

The crying becomes louder as they enter their bedroom. He can tell she has been sleeping on his side of the bed right away and it warms his heart to know that she has missed him so much as to want to surround herself in his scent. The bed isn't the spot she's guiding him to, though. Instead, she rounds the edge of the bed, tugging at his hand until they reach a wooden crib set beside her side. He knows right away that the sound he hears is not of a kitten but of a human child. His and Carol's child.

"When?" His voice crackles at the realization that he'd missed everything; he'd missed finding out he was to be a father, he hadn't been able to watch her grow ripe with his child, and he'd unknowingly skipped the birth of his firstborn.

"About a month ago," Carol replies as she lets go of his hand. She leans over the crib and moves around part of the blanket. From within she pulls a tiny child, an almost newborn baby that flails its little arms, fingers spread wide open and legs spread before being tucked against its chest. His baby is so new that it still holds the fetus position it held in Carol's womb.

"Hush little one." She mumbles as she brings the baby up to her face so that she can kiss its cheek. "Papa wants to meet you, my sweet."

She turns towards Ezekiel who is once again trembling. He's not sure if he's trembling out of the pain his body feels or the fear of holding the tiny creature she seems to magically quiet down. Carol takes a couple of steps to close the distance between them before looking up into his eyes.

"Welcome home, Papa." She whispers before looking back down at the little one in her arms. "Her name is Malia Sophia."

"Malia?" He asks surprised without turning to look away from his child. Carol has named their firstborn daughter after his mother who had perished in the middle of a cotton field at the hand of a cruel taskmaster. The love he feels for the woman in front of him increases tenfold. He wants nothing more than to wrap his arms around his family and protect them.

Malia Sophia is beautiful. Her skin is a soft brown color, soft to the touch and ever so delicate. Her hair is a dark chestnut just like her mother's which lays in tight little curls against her head. She seems to favor Carol more than she does him, especially on the nose, but the lips are her father's through and through. Gently, terrified to hurt her, he caresses her chubby cheek which prompts the baby to turn towards him, her eyes opening to reveal blue irises just like her mother's, hidden behind long eyelashes. She opens her mouth and hungrily searches for that which he cannot give.

"She's hungry." He notes to which Carol gives a nod.

"Want to hold her while I get ready?"

He nods right away. There is nothing more than he wants than to hold his baby daughter and promise to never leave her side. He knows he's still weak though, especially after the walk he just put his body through. The railway station wasn't close and he'd walked all the way which had made his body even weaker. What if he dropped her?

Carol must have sensed his trepidation because she nods towards the bed. "Sit down, back against the headboard."

Trusting her, Ezekiel moves towards the bed as fast as his aching body will allow. He would have gotten there faster if he had the aid of his walking stick but it still lays abandoned outside. He'll have to ask her to go get it for him later. Excited, he waits patiently as Carol hums softly to their baby before leaning over and expertly transferring her to his chest, guiding his hand to support her little body against him. Malia Sophia fuzzes at first, not quite sure if she wants to let out another cry, before settling beside his injured arm. She rubs her face against his uniform and lets out a tiny whimper.

"It's all right," Carol promises as she notices the way his body tenses at his daughter's cries. Slowly he relaxes as he looks at his baby girl. She's perfect, more than perfect if there is such a thing. How can he love someone he's just met, whose existence he hadn't even been aware of? How can that love be so strong and all-embracing that he feels it from the bottom of his heart to the tip of the fingers he presses against her back?

"Hi, Malia Sophia." He whispers. "I'm your Papa."

His daughter rubs her face against him again before bringing her little fist up to rub at her eyes. She's so precious. He can't believe this is his daughter.

Carol makes her way to the other side of the bed, her side, and sits down while working on the buttons of her blouse. When she's done, she pulls apart the ends, shrugs off the blouse, and makes quick work of untying her corset before loosening it enough to be comfortable. He can't help but turn his attention fully to her as she then pulls her breast free and reaches for their baby girl.

He misses Malia Sophia's weight and warmth almost instantly but can't look away as their little one roots against her mother's breast before taking Carol's nipple into her mouth. Her little cheeks sink and release as she suckles her meal, her hand kneading Carol's breast as milk settles the ends of her lips.

He still can't believe he's back home. He still can't believe he is a father.

"How?" He breathes out.

Carol blushes as she turns to look at him. "I think it was in the pond." She admits to him.

The pond was not so far away from her father's homestead and laid surrounded by thick trees. They'd enjoy a day there, away from their home, a day to simply be a husband and wife. Of course, being unable to stop touching each other, one thing had led to another and they'd ended up wrapped in each other's arms, bare and surrounded by the crystal clear water. That place had always held a special spot in his heart for it had been where he'd first kissed her and where he'd asked her to marry him, but now it was even more important. That's where they had made their little bundle of joy.

"If I had known I wouldn't have left." He promises, needing her to know that their daughter and she were the most important thing in his life.

"Then it was best that we didn't know." Carol declares. She turns to look at him, her blue eyes sparkling with raw emotion. "I know how important it is to fight for freedom. I know of your promise to do everything you could to help others escape that hell. I wouldn't have wanted to be the reason you didn't keep your promise. Had we known, it would have only been harder on you."

"But-"

"I missed you, every day. It was hard to do it all without you, but I kept strong because of you. I wanted you to be proud of us when you came back. I wanted you to know that even though you were far away, a part of you still remained with me."

"A big part of me." He adds.

"Of you have no idea," Carol smirks.

Ezekiel is about to ask her what she means when two things happen almost at the same time. First, Malia Sophia seems to have had enough of her meal and releases Carol's breast. She appears to be in a milk induced stupor as her eyes slowly close and her little body relaxes. He can't help but chuckle as he observes her fall right back to sleep. The second thing that happens has him frowning in confusion. He can see his little daughter is fast asleep and yet a new cry enters the room.

"Just in time." With a smile and a devilish glint in her eyes, Carol once again transfers baby Malia to his chest before rearranging her clothing and sliding off to the edge of the bed.

What she's about to do, he wouldn't have even predicted in his wildest dreams.

Ezekiel watches dumbfounded as she reaches into the crib once more and pulls out another wiggling bundle. The cry is much softer than Malia's but still strong and healthy. The baby, just like its sister had done, quiets almost as soon as Carol cuddles it close though it does let out some impatient sounds every once in a while.

When she turns to look at him Carol lets out a little giggle. "I had that same expression you have when I thought I was done giving birth." She admits to him.

"What? How?" He can't seem to make complete sentences, his mind thrown into a surprising state that renders him into a babbling mess. "Tw...two?"

Carol nods as she sits beside him on the bed, facing him. He watches as the baby rubs its face against her clothed breast, begging for food. Unlike its sister, who had patiently waited for her mother to offer her the breast, this baby impatiently squawks and tugs at whatever article of clothing it can find. Carol quickly repeats the process of baring her breast and soon the baby's impatient sounds are quiet as little grunts take their place.

"Papa," Carol tells Ezekiel as she turns to look at him. She looks so happy, so breathtaking, that it takes him a moment to focus on what she's saying. "This is your son, Benjamin Henry."

Though he can't see much of his son as he nurses, what he sees makes Ezekiel grin. His hair curls much like his sister's though his skin is a shade darker than Malia Sophia's. He isn't sure whether his nose resembles Carol or his but from what he can see Benjamin Henry has also inherited his lips

If it is possible to feel one's heart grow, Ezekiel is sure that that's what he is feeling. An ache he didn't know he had gets fully healed at the sight of his perfect children. He'd been dreaming of coming home to start a family with Carol without knowing that he had already left behind the seed to help them grow. Now he has two tiny pieces of evidence that show the world just how much love he shares with his wife.

How did he ever get so lucky?

"Are you... are you all right?" Carol asks, her voice dripping with anxiety as she reaches over to brush away a tear he hadn't known had fallen.

"Yeah," he mumbles. "I just... Carol, they are perfect."

"They are." She agrees with him as she looks down at the baby nursing at her breast. "They can be a handful, and at times I feel like I'm way in over my head, but they are perfect."

He knows she must not have had it easy being their sole provider, but now he is home, and once he's fully healed, he plans to help as much as he's able to. "Why didn't you stay with your parents? Your mother would have surely helped."

"I couldn't." She admits with a shake of her head as she once more turns her blue gaze towards his. "I... I needed to stay here. I needed to be surrounded by your presence to know that we'd be all right. I also wanted to be here for when you came back to us. I knew you'd come here straight away."

She wasn't wrong. As soon as his feet had touched the train station's platform he'd been on his way home, never once thinking that perhaps she would have moved in with her parents in his absence. She had called to him and he'd simply replied, searching her out until he'd found her and their two babies.

Ezekiel falls silent, taking the time to simply observe his Carol feeding their son and the now sleeping baby daughter on his chest. He knows with a doubt that he will do everything in his power to protect them, to ensure they live a life of freedom and happiness. His children, his family, represents everything he's fought for in the battlefield and everything he will continue to fight for until his dying breath.

Later, when he's finally gotten rid of his uniform and Carol has had her turn to worry and fret over his injuries, Ezekiel observes both babies snuggled between them. They look like two peas in a pod, mirrored images of a mixture of him and Carol. He already loves them more than life itself. How could he have had any part in creating such beautiful babies?

"Do you think they'll ever know I missed their birth? That they'll think I didn't want to be here?" He breaks the silence that had fallen between them with a question he can't stop thinking about, the fear in his heart far too great to not bring up

Carol reaches over and gently caresses his injured arm. She offers him a gentle smile before replying. "I don't know, but if they do, I'll make sure to tell them why you weren't here. I'll make sure they know their Papa is a brave man who fought to make sure they are free. That he faced the worst of humanity for them, for us, and for all of those who haven't been able to enjoy what we have. They'll understand and they'll be proud of you. They'll be as proud of you as I am."

"I wish I had been there through it all Carol." He admits to her even though he knows Carol understands. "I wish I had watched you grow with the promise of our future. I wish I had pampered you like the queen that you are. I wish I had held your hand and helped you push as you brought them to the world."

A soft blush takes over Carol's cheeks. She hides behind the curtain of hair that falls around her face as she leans down to kiss each of her babies' cheeks, then looks up at him. The blush makes her eyes seem brighter and the dust of freckles on her face appear more prominent. He knows that whatever she's about to say will bring him immense joy and make his world spin on its axis yet again.

"There's time." She explains. "Next time we make a baby I won't let you out of my sight, I promise."

He grins so much his face begins to hurt. Carol has always known just what to say to make him the happiest man on Earth and this isn't the exception. Perhaps he will always feel a twinge of sadness knowing that he missed the birth of his firstborns but he will make it up to them every single day. He can't do anything to change the past, but he can live up to the future he had always dreamed of having with Carol and their children at his side.

He's home and that's truly what matters. The war didn't take his life or his freedom and it certainly won't take away his future or his family. He will continue to fight every single day for all those he's known at the hands of slavery but more importantly, he will fight for Malia Sophia and Benjamin Henry's future.

Carol suddenly perks up, her lips curled into one of her smirks. His wife is a force of nature and he knows very well that he's about to be teased to high heaven.

"By the way, how often are twins born on your side of the family? Cause if I'm going to be having them in sets of two, we are definitively going to have to expand."

The End

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little thing that just wouldn't leave my mind. I hope you guys enjoyed! Where the names too cheesy?


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